Switch-box



D. H. HAYDEN. SWITCH BOX. APPLICATION FILED DEC-l8. 191a.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

UNETFAD STATES PATENT OFFICE.

DON H. HAYDEN, 0F CLEVELAND, OHIO.

SVVITCI-I-BOX.

Application filed December 18 1918.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, Don H. HAYDEN, a citizen of the United States,residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, haveinvented a certain new and useful Improvement in Switch-Boxes, of whichthe following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to certain new and useful improvements in wall orswitch boxes.

A switch box is composed of one or a plurality of body units assembledor fastened together at their edges, and two end plates. This box, as iswell known, receives a wall switch and is set into the wall, and the boxis fastened to thewall by a series of brackets secured to the sides ofthe box by small screws.

As these boxes are usually made in large quantities, it is importantthat the number of operations in producing and assembling them, and thetime required in the assembly be reduced to the greatest possibleextent, and that the box be so designed that the waste of material isredu ed to a minimum.

It is the principal object of the present invention to provide animproved construction involving the fastening to the sides of the box ofthe brackets which are utilized in fas tening the box to the wall. Morespecifically considered, the invention aims to do away with thenecessity for the fastening screws so as to eliminate the tapping ofholes and the tedious and time consuming labor of threading the screwsinto place and tightening them.

This object is attained by my invention wherein the provision forholding the brackets in place is made when the brackets and body piecesof the box are stamped from the sheet metal, this being done in such amanner that the bracket can be fastened in place by a wire or brad.

The invention may be briefly summarized as consisting in certain noveldetails of construction and combinations and arrangements of parts whichwill be described in the specification and set forth in the ap pendedclaims.

In the accompanying sheet of drawings illustrating the preferred form ofmy invention, Figure 1 IS a vertical sectional View through a box; Fig.2 is a side view of a two-unit box; Fig. 3 is a plan view of theSpecification of Letters Patent.

Patented Jan. 27, 1920.

Serial No. 267,228.

same; Fig. 4: is a perspective view of one of the brackets; and Figs. 5and 6 are fragmentary perspective views of the box showing two ways inwhich the brackets may be positioned with the same fastening or securingmeans.

The box is composed of one or any number of body units 10, which areusually substantially U-shaped, with knock-out plugs 11 for theconductors, and two end plates 12. The sections may be fastened togetherin any suitable manner, but preferably by means of interlocking integrallugs 12 and notches or openings 13 arranged at the corner and at thebottom of the adjoining parts whether the adjoining parts arecounterpart body units or a body unit and end plate. The particularmanner of fastening together the different sections of the box hereinillus trated, constitutes the subject matter of a companion applicationfiled by me January 12, 1917, Serial No. H1920.

To secure the box to the wall, brackets 14 are utilized, these bracketsbeing in the main of customary construction, though departure is madefrom the customary construction to enable these brackets to be attachedto the box in the manner constituting the subject matter of thisinvention.

In accordance with my invention, the box and the bracket are, whenstamped from the sheet metal, provided with bowed or displaced portions,and the box is notched to receive the displaced portion or portions ofthe bracket so that when the bracket is placed up alongside the box awire or brad may be inserted through the displaced portions in front ofone and behind the other in such a manner as to fasten the bracket inplace. The number and arrangement of the displaced portions on thebracket and box may be varied, and may be other than herein shown, butin practice I .prefer the arrangement or design illustrated in thedrawings.

It will be seen that in the present embodiment of the invention eachbody unit 10 has near each top edge three outwardly bowed or displacedportions 15, and is notched out between these portions, the distancebetween the displaced portions 15 being equal to the width of-the legsof the bracket, and so positioned that the legs of the bracket will bereceived between the outwardly bowed portions 15. Likewise the two legsof the brackets are provided near their free ends the bowed portions arein alinement.

with bowed or looped portions 16 which are designed to be extended intothe notches between the bowed portions 15 of the switch box unit, whenthe bracket is placed against the outer side of the latter, so that whenthe brackets are placed in position, the axes of Then to fasten thebracket to the box it is only necessary to insert endwise through theopening formed by the interlocking or interfitting parts of the bracketand box respectively, a securing pin 17 which may be a wire or a brad.This securely fastens the bracket to the box, and when the box is onceassembled, the adjoining parts thereof prevent the pin being displacedin an endwise direction, though ordinarily the pin fits so tightly thatthere is no tendency for endwise movement.

This construction admits of the bracket being secured to the box withits top face flush with the top of the box, as illustrated in Figs. 1,2, 3 and 5, or to be inverted so that its face which is designed toengage the wall is some distance below the top of the box, asillustrated in ld'ig. 6. It will be understood that whether the bracketsare to be secured as in Fig. 5, or as in Fig. 6, will depend uponwhether the brackets are to go inside or outside of the plastering.

As is obvious, the brackets may be secured on each side of each of thebody units 10, or to only part of them, as circumstances require.

As before stated, the displaced pin-receiving portions of the box andbrackets are formed when the parts are stamped from sheet metal, so thatno separate or special operation is required, and the construction issuch that the parts may be assembled and the brackets secured in placevery quickly, and as a result, these boxes can be produced and assembledat less cost than those wherein the brackets are secured in place byscrews.

As before stated, modifications or changes may be made in the details ofthe fastening, such for example, as the arrangement and number ofdisplaced portions of the box and bracket, and I aim in my claims tocover all modifications which do not involve a departure from the spiritand scope of my invention in its broadest aspect.

Having describ'id my invention, I claim: 1. In a switch box, a wallbracket extendmg alongside the box, one of the parts having an openingand the other part having a I looped or displaced part projectingthrough the opening, anda fastening pin extending parallel to the sideof the box, through the looped portion, and holding the bracket inplace.

2. A switch box having a wall bracket, the box having an opening, andthe bracket having a displaced or looped portion projecting through theopening, and a pin extending alongside the box through the loopedportion to fasten the bracket in position.

3. A switch box having a plurality of wall brackets, the box having apair of spaced openings and the bracket having a pair of spaceddisplaced portions extending through the openings, and a fastening pinlying alongside the box in front of one part and behind the otherthrough the displaced portions of the bracket.

A. A switch box having a wall bracket, the box and bracket havingmatching displaced portions with the displaced portion or portions ofone part projecting through the wall of the other part, and a fasteningpin extending alongside the box and extended in front of and behind thedisplaced portions of the box and bracket to fasten the latter to thebox.

5. A switch box having a Wall bracket, the side of the box having aplurality of spaced outwardly bowed portions, and openings between thebowed portions, the bracket having a plurality of inwardly bowedportions extending into said openings, and a fastening pin extending infront of and behind the bowed portions respectively to fasten thebracket to the box.

6. A switch box, having a wall bracket, the side of the box having anopening ant the bracket having a portion extending along the outer sideof the box and provided with a displaced or looped portion extendingthrough the opening, and a pin extending along the inner side of the boxthrough the displaced or looped portion to fasten the bracket inposition.

7. A switch box, having a wall bracket, the side of the box havingoutwardly displaced portionsand openings between the same, the bracketextending along the outer side of the box and having displaced portionsextending through said openings, and a fastening pin on the inner sideof the box and engaging the inner sides of the displaced portions of thebox and the outer sides of the displaced portions of the bracket. I

In "testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

DON H. HAYDEN.

